


Hold On To Me

by TrishaCollins



Series: Babysitting And Other Royal Duties [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cor is really trying, Dadding is hard, Gen, Prompto is a difficult baby, it's not his fault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-09 00:26:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17991401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrishaCollins/pseuds/TrishaCollins
Summary: Cid and Cor discuss the merits of the Crown City, the past, and where to go from here. The baby refuses to be put down.





	Hold On To Me

The mixture that Cid came up stayed down, at least for the moment, which left his adrift with a sleeping baby in Hammerhead, unable to settle down. 

Cid has suggested putting the baby down somewhere and making himself useful, which had sounded good in theory, and the making of a nest for the little guy to sleep in had taken up enough time that he thought it should be near dawn. Kid was asleep, sucking his thumb. He moved to put him down in the nest, and for the first time saw the kid move on his own. He sat up, eyes wide, mouth open in a reedy whine that set his teeth on edge.

“More disconcerting than if he’d just cry, six be damned.” Cid commented as he picked the kid back up, fishing another cigarette out of his pack and trying to disguise the fact that he had dropped the other one. “At least then we’d know could.”

“That’s the same noise he made when I found him. I-could the tubes have damaged his vocal cords?” He knew nothing about babies, but he knew a thing or two about being held captive. His nickname hadn’t persisted on its own, it had taken additional suffering before it had stuck. 

Sometimes, when you were inside a cell for long enough, the outside world was too big and too noisy to make any sense of. Clarus had held him through the bad spells. He could do the same for Kid. 

“Possible.” Cid looked unhappy. “Could have used the hand with the beasts around here, if you’re going to be a drain on resources. Change your name to Cor the Babysitter if this keeps up.”

He rolled his eyes, settling Kid against his shoulder, patting his back until he seemed to more or less settle back down. 

Those blue eyes were still watching him intently, teary and concerned. 

“It’s fine.” He told the baby seriously. “Nobody is going to hurt you.” 

“if he doesn’t understand that being put on a cot won’t kill him, I doubt he’ll understand that.” Cid grumbled. 

He shrugged in response. “Maybe the feeling will get through.” 

“Ha. What are you going to do with him? Nif Bioweapon and all that.”

“Take him back to Insomnia as soon as there is enough daylight to make it safe. We made it most of the way back, stopping at Havens when the Daemons got too bad. Then…I’ll find someone to look after him.”

Cid gave him a look he couldn’t quite make sense of, shaking his head. “Damned fool kid.”

“What?”

“Nothin’, youngster. You’ll figure it out on your own eventually. Give Reggie my love and all that, Clarus too, if he’ll listen.” Cid pulled down his hat, still shaking his head as he moved away.

“Could come with me, you know. They would both like to see you. It hasn’t been the same.” He shifted Kid, swaying his body in the closest approximation he could manage to the gesture he’d seen Regis do when Noctis was upset. Kid might not know any better, but he was pretty sure he just looked like he had to pee. 

Cid waved him away. “I’m done with all of that. Royal decrees and royal arms and royal killing yourself slowly. Pah. Should have walked away when you had the chance, now you’re stuck.”

He twisted his lips. “He’s doing good, you know. Tired, but good. The new wall is less taxing, and the Glaive aren’t as draining as doing it himself. They miss you.”

Cid just shook his head and walked into the garage. 

Kid was staring up at him, hand hooked on one of his buttons. 

He sighed. “We grownups aren’t that that good at talking things out either.” 

Kid kept staring at him, eyes locked on his face. Memorizing him, maybe, for the next time he had the bright idea to set him down for any reason. 

“Should talk to Terry about getting you more diapers before we set off. Those look more comfortable than my spare clothes.” He patted the tiny back. “Maybe see if the store has anything not duck print for you to wear.” 

Kid blinked a bit, but had nothing to say in response. 

“Yeah. I think that’s the best plan.” He set off across the yard, nodding politely to the people he passed. Hammerhead wasn’t much of a town, but it had its folk. Most of the young families had moved up into Lestallum lately, but there were a few. 

“Cor, Cid said you’d be in. Diapers and bottles, huh?” Terry was a bright girl, grinning at him from behind the counter, Cindy slung on her hip. “And here’s the little man of the hour. How are you doin’ little man? You being good for your papa?”

“Oh. He’s….” The denial died on his lips. “He’s good.” What had Cid told her? Shit, he should have asked for the cover story. “We need to get some supplies for him, for the road. Do you have any other clothes? Boys clothes?”

She shook her head at him. “He’s too little to know the difference, besides, all clothes are boys clothes when they spit up all over them. Isn’t that right, Cindy?”

The baby, who he guessed was around the same age, giggled and babbled incomprehensibly. 

He should have maybe talked with Cid about what he needed, rather than risking engaging in conversation with Cid’s daughter-in-law. 

“Anyway, we don’t have much around here. But Papa told us what you’d be needing.” She bent down, lifting a cloth bag. “Here’s what we got, and Papa put enough of the formula and the recipie in the bag to get you back to Insomnia.”

“He must be in a good mood then.” He commented, taking the bag.

She chuckled probably more than the comment had deserved. “Aw, Cor. Papa likes you just fine. Just thinks you’re too young to be so serious all the time. Maybe stay a bit, catch up?”

He shook his head. “I need to get him back to Insomnia. It’s not safe out here for…” He looked at the baby on her hip.

She grinned. “It’s ok, we can take it. Ain’t nothing out here but monsters, but its home you know? We manage.” 

“Of course. I apologize.” 

“Court manners.” She shook her head. “I wish you well, and you too little guy.”

Kid didn’t even turn his head, not even interested in the presence of another baby. 

“Thank you. And thank you for your help.” He inclined his head, tucking the bag into the Armiger, and turned to go. 

Six please let it be dawn soon. He needed to get home.


End file.
